As Rhaenyra looks to gain an advantage by unusual means, Daemon pressures a young liege lord to raise up his bannermen.
Finally. The last few episodes felt like they dragged but this one actually moved along. Of course, the season ends next week.
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IKR.
Seeing the Dragonstone dragon posse assembled was cool. Rhaenyra now has the following dragonseed rider/dragon pairs under her command:
Hugh Hammer + Vermithor, The Bronze Fury - stunning
Ulf the White + Silverwing
Adam of Hull + Seasmoke
Plus it seems Rhaena intends to try to claim the wild dragon with an apparent taste for sheep, in the Vale of Arryn.
If Rhaena is indeed successful, it’d mean Rhaenyra would have six adult dragons, (I’m including Daemon + Caraxes right now), along with the two not-quite-adult-adolescent dragons of Jace and Baela, with which to challenge Vhagar. Although, frankly, Vermithor could represent a serious challenge to Vhagar all by himself.
In other news, what is Alicent doing? Wandering aimlessly around in the Kingswood with a single protector. Girl, you need to get your shit together.
I’m surprised we haven’t seen the return of Otto since Aemond sent for him last episode. Presumably, we’ll be treated to that delight in the finale. It also would seem that we’re finally going to meet the -until now- invisible youngest son of Alicent and Viserys, Prince Daeron, in the finale. They’ve name-checked him enough times this season. Maybe he and Otto will show up together. Gathering from what Alicent’s brother said before he left, Daeron is supposedly a much more well-rounded person, having been raised away from Alicent, Otto and Krispy Kreme’s combined toxicity. If so, that should provide for an interesting dynamic.
Speaking of the devil, mercifully, this was a Krispy Kreme free episode! Although Larys continues to creep around, yuck, and by ‘creep’ I don’t refer to his disability, I refer to his demeanor/presence.
Daemon is still at Harrenhal - yawn, that storyline has become a real bore-fest, we get it, move it along please show.
Also? I’m somewhat disappointed that we haven’t seen anything of House Stark since episode one. The show really baited us all there.
For me this season, while having some good highlights, has kinda dragged too much, which, considering this is a shortened season, means every episode should’ve been jam packed with stuff happening. Even if the finale turns out to be action packed it won’t change my thoughts on the season overall. I hope next season is back to ten episodes and has more forward momentum throughout the whole run, rather than the sporadic wait/start/stop/wait feel this one has given.
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You’ve summed up my feelings on the overall season pacing. Also on the relief of no Krispy Kreme. And Daemon’s storyline dragging.
I really don’t know what to make of Alicent. Blah blah people are multifaceted and complex but she just seems inconsistent.
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It’s like they didn’t really know what to do with Alicent this season, and to a similar extent, Daemon. Having a dynamic character like Daemon Targaryen sit around navel gazing (for all intents and purposes) for almost the entire season was a criminal waste of such a character. The whole season can be summed up in one word for me: tentative.
Rather than grab on with both hands and take us on a wild, exciting, dangerous ride, the show hedged its bets and instead, provided small doses of excitement before shrinking back inside its own shell and playing it safe once more. I understand it can’t be (nor should be) action all the time, but for me it wasn’t so much about wanting action as much as sheer momentum in and of the story and where it’s leading us. I want the show to leave me feeling overall like I’ve been on a mental rollercoaster, not a gentle boat ride along a slow river that has the occasional, very brief excitement of a small stretch of rapids. I want it to make me want to rewatch every episode for things I may have missed, perhaps two or more times, and to make my head hurt with figuring out what is going on that isn’t obvious, and speculate about the motivations of character behaviors or actions. Not scratching my head about some strange vision that’s so enigmatic nobody can say with any logic what the heck it’s meant to mean.
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Last night I thought this season has been more about not advancing the plot too quickly because they don’t want the show to end and less about moving forward in a way that makes sense and is compelling.
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Nodding along to everything being said here.
With the exception of TwinBowl, Rook’s Rest and last episode’s dragon claiming and epic shot of Rhaenerya giving Aemond her best FAAFO look with Aemond quickly backpedaling Vhagar back to KL, this season has been largely a snooze fest.
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